Loraas Disposal will continue to provide residential recycling collection services for the City of Moose Jaw for the next few years after receiving a new contract.
The City of Moose Jaw initiated a residential recycling collection program on Oct. 1, 2015, and selected Loraas to handle the job. The company has acted as the service provider for the past seven years under the first agreement, which expires on Sept. 30.
The department of public works and utilities recently issued a request for proposal (RFP) for a new agreement for residential recycling collection services in the municipality, a city council report said. The terms of the new agreement are for three years with two optional two-year extensions.
The department received two supplier proposals and evaluated the offers.
“They were very competitive bids. Both proponents ended up being qualified under our criteria when we went through their proposals, so it ended up coming down to price,” Darren Stephanson, director of public works and utilities, told council during its Sept. 12 meeting.
“So I’m happy to inform council that Loraas Recycling has been awarded the contract … . We’ll be moving forward with that on Oct. 1 of this year.”
Coun. Jamey Logan inquired about the RFP process and wondered whether city hall could dictate what the community can and cannot recycle. He thought homeowners were being prevented from recycling a wide range of materials.
“That was part of the RFP, was a request from the city of what materials would be under the program. We don’t personally have a lot of control there,” said Stephanson. “It is what the providers can offer with whatever sorting facilities and business outlets they have.”
Both proponents offered to collect the same recycling material, while the only change during the last seven years — and that is still in effect — was that plastic clamshells and films were no longer allowed, he continued. It appears to be an issue that affects the whole recycling industry.
“What I mean is it’s a Saskatchewan-based issue … ,” Stephanson clarified. “In Saskatchewan, providers here don’t offer that as part of their service.”
Coun. Dawn Luhning wondered if homeowners would see a reduction in their monthly recycling bills or a benefit based on the new contract.
While residents pay $7.09 per month for recycling, there is the potential for a reduction in that price, said Stephanson. That should be an issue that council discusses at budget time for next year.
Communication around recycling is important, considering it does seem as if residents can put fewer and fewer items into the bin, Luhning said. She thought the current monthly price for recycling was a little much, considering residents could not recycle clamshells.
“I know we have to offer this service, but … I liked it when people had the choice if they wanted to recycle, they could,” she added with a laugh. “They bought the bin, they rolled it out to the front and they had it. But anyways, it doesn’t matter at this point.”
Council later voted unanimously to receive and file the report.
The next city council meeting is Monday, Sept. 26.
